Furniture such as sofas, couches, upholstered chairs and the like generally comprise a horizontal frame of metal or wood that delineates the base or seating area of the article, an upright section attached to the frame which supports the back, and two arm rests located on either end of the furniture article, to support the arms of a seated person. Cushions are generally positioned over the seating area and the upright section of the sofa or chair, to provide for padded and comfortable support for the seat and back of a person sitting on the sofa or chair.
Generally, the seat assembly of a sofa or chair includes a metal or wood seat box with a plurality of sinuous wires or springs, or coiled springs, extending across the frame, to provide support and flexibility for the seating area of the sofa or chair. Cushions or some other type of padding is placed upon the seating area to provide for a comfortable seat. The springs that extend across the frame of the seating area provide some “give” or flex to the seating area, such that the seating area can conform somewhat to the person seated on the sofa or chair.
The metal seat box of a sofa or chair generally includes four rails, with at least one pair of opposite rails containing a plurality of clips or hooks upon which the spring ends are attached. Generally, a spring end is affixed to a first rail of the drop-in seat box, the spring is extended, traversing the space between the first rail and the second rail which are parallel to one another, and the other spring end is affixed to the second (opposite) rail of the drop-in seat box. The spring ends are affixed to the drop-in seat box rails by way of a staple, hook or clip device. The extended springs are in a state of tension, as are the staples, clips or hooks holding the springs to the metal drop-in seat box.
Further, support devices or “seat stretchers” may be extended between the rails of the seat box assembly upon which the springs are affixed. Generally, the support devices are welded to the rails.
The above process of manufacturing the seat box for a sofa or chair is time-consuming since a number of parts must be assembled to construct the seat box, and construction may require certain expertise in assembly. Further, the handling and manufacture of the seat box as described can cause physical strain to the employees manufacturing the seat box.